By Denny, Christian, Gutierrez,                        H.B. No. 255

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to permitting certain law enforcement authorities and

 1-3     probation officers to receive reduced airline fares while engaged

 1-4     in certain official duties.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 2171.055, Government Code,

 1-7     is amended to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 2171.055.  PARTICIPATION [BY STATE AGENCIES] IN TRAVEL

 1-9     SERVICES CONTRACTS.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 2171.055, Government Code, is amended by

1-11     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

1-12           (e)  A county sheriff or deputy sheriff or an adult or

1-13     juvenile probation officer who is transporting a state prisoner

1-14     under a felony warrant may participate in the commission's contract

1-15     for travel services for purposes of obtaining reduced airline fares

1-16     for the law enforcement or probation officer and the prisoner.  The

1-17     commission may charge a participating county a fee not to exceed

1-18     the costs incurred by the commission in providing services under

1-19     this subsection.  The commission shall periodically review fees and

1-20     shall adjust them as needed to ensure recovery of costs incurred in

1-21     providing services to counties under this subsection.  The

1-22     commission shall adopt rules and make or amend contracts as

1-23     necessary to administer this subsection.

1-24           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-25           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.